Timber recycled as firewood

Bendigo based business wood4good has won a contract with the City of Greater Bendigo to harvest waste timber from council owned forestry plantations to sell as firewood.

Director of Presentation and Assets Darren Fuzzard said the City began establishing forestry plantations in 1999 as a unique demonstration project with promising economical and environmental advantages for the region.

“Our plantations include a 242 hectare regional farm forestry site north of Huntly and a 119 hectare site located at Crosbie, near Heathcote.

“The City established the plantations to lead by example and demonstrate that commercial tree growing is possible in an area not usually considered traditional for this type of activity.

“We are managing the trees at Huntly and Crosbie for high value timber from trees that will be harvested around 2030.

“As part of our management plan we take out the poorer performing trees which are known as thinnings and leave the better trees to thrive and grow.

As part of the contract, wood4good will take the thinnings and produce sustainably harvested firewood, of which royalties will be paid to Council from the sales.

wood4good Spokesperson Ben Boxshall said wood4good is pleased to be able to support the City of Greater Bendigo in its quest for sustainability and to turn a waste product into a source of heat to warm central Victoria’s families through winter.

“Wood is indisputably good when produced locally from tree plantations established and managed to help protect our farms, biodiversity and our future.

“wood4good is marketing a quality, plantation-grown product into the local domestic firewood market as an alternative to wood sourced from woodlands and forests.”